Light Snow, Wintry Mix Move Through Tristate, Creating Slick Spots

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

A round of light snow and freezing drizzle is sweeping across the tristate region early Saturday, Dec. 6, prompting a Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service New York and creating potentially slick conditions on untreated roads.

Radar shows scattered light snow bands moving from southwest to northeast across the area, with temperatures below freezing in many spots. 

This is resulting in snow sticking to surfaces, mainly outside of Long Island, where a plain, cold rain was observed due to slightly warmer temperatures.

Patchy freezing rain and light drizzle continues in some locations through the early morning hours, raising the risk of a thin glaze of ice on untreated roads and sidewalks. 

The National Weather Service urges drivers and pedestrians to use caution, as hazardous travel conditions are possible in spots.

About a trace of snowfall is expected from the light snow, mainly outside Long Island.

National Weather Service

Frigid temperatures are expected to linger into early next week as a stubborn Arctic air mass holds its grip on the Northeast. 

According to AccuWeather meteorologists, the polar vortex is positioned near Hudson Bay, Canada, and will keep sending waves of Arctic air into the central and eastern United States through mid-December.

The waves of Arctic air will trigger rounds of flurries and squalls in some areas and may help fuel storms with patches of accumulating snow. T

AccuWeather

"These Arctic air outbreaks can be attributed to a displacement of the polar vortex," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

"The outbreak this week will be the first of probably three such rounds with it. Another cold blast is likely next week and a third the week after that," Pastelok explained. "The waves of Arctic air will lead to significant surges in energy demands."

The first Arctic front swept off the Northeast coast Thursday night, Dec. 4, bringing flurries, snow showers, and heavier squalls to New York state and New England. 

The cold is already making an impact, with temperatures dropping to the teens in Boston and widespread lows in the 20s from New York City to Washington, D.C. Some interior cold spots, including parts of the Adirondacks, have seen readings near 20 below zero.

More chances for snow are possible Sunday night, Dec. 7, into Monday, Dec. 8, as another quick-moving Alberta clipper system targets the region.

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.